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October 16, 2008

ALCS 5: Red Sox 8, Rays 7

Tampa Bay was seven outs away from the American League pennant -- and the Red Sox were down by seven runs.

The Rays recorded only six of those outs -- and the Red Sox scored eight times to complete the greatest comeback by any team facing elimination and the second biggest comeback in post-season/World Series history and send this ALCS back to Florida.

David Ortiz's three-run dong to right in the seventh was a big blow -- cutting the lead from 7-1 to 7-4 -- but it was J.D. Drew who was the hero. After Jason Bay walked on four pitches to start the eighth inning, Drew clubbed a two-run shot to right off J.P. Howell to bring Boston to within 7-6. With two outs, Mark Kotsay doubled off B.J. Upton's glove in deep left-center and Coco Crisp capped off a 10-pitch at-bat with a line drive single to right. Gabe Gross's throw did not make the infield on the fly and Kotsay scored the tying run.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Kevin Youkilis reached second base on a throwing error by Evan Longoria. Jason Bay was walked intentionally. Drew then lined a 3-1 pitch over Gross's head in right field and Yook scored the game-winning run.

Fact: Tampa Bay is three games away from elimination. The Rays have been conducting a Totally Kicking Ass 101 seminar since last Saturday, but the real ALCS begins tonight. Fenway Park will be rocking. We will make our own destination.

Joe Maddon has altered his pitching rotation, not to go for the kill in Game 5, but to set his team up for a better Game 6 matchup. Big mistake, Joe. Big. Tito the Assassin knows that when you have your target lined up in your sights, you fucking fire. You don't stop and check if your shoelaces are tied.

Choosing Kazmir over Shields has left the ALCS door a bit more open than it was 24 hours ago - and the Large Father & Co. are gonna barge in and make themselves at home. Backs to the wall -- win or go home -- "got to make it interesting" -- this is what we do -- and this is when we do it -- because "If you wear a Red Sox uniform jersey, you're a bad motherfucker."

Stick with me baby, stick with me anyhowThings should start to get interesting right about nowBob Dylan - "Mississippi"

BosoxBob:"The Rays really don't know what they've gotten themselves into. ... And when they come out to take the field in game 6, with the Rays fans cheering like crazy and ringing their cowbells, they'll feel pretty good. That is, until they get a good look at the Red Sox players. When they see that to a man, the Sox are unfazed by the noise or the pressure of the situation, that voice in the back of their heads will be screaming louder than all those fans. That's when they'll find out what playoff baseball is really about. And that's when they'll find out what the Sox are made of.

Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.Tonight's the night.

But I can't watch the game. I'll check in during my students' midterm and be sure there will still be baseball going on this weekend.

It's been tough getting our asses handed to us. We've been here before, of course. I can't say for sure we can do it three times in a row (down 3-1 in the ALCS), but I do know this: all the talk of how bad we look is just that. If we can look good tonight, then -- wow! -- writers will be writing about how we don't look so bad.

So we'll see. Win tonight, and go back to Tampa with our dicks hanging out and see if we can do it. Again.

weird, I didn't realize Nix even knew where I lived, let alone had a key to my house.

Happy Birthday, Allan! Go Sox!!!!

(and here's more motivation for me to root for the Red Sox, not that I needed any: I was able to buy tickets to Game 3 of the World Series in Philadelphia! I'd sure as hell rather see the Red Sox in their away uniforms than the Rays!)

And woe betide the male assailant! According to folklore (and backed up by some circumstantial evidence), the Ratel goes for the scrotum when it attacks large animals (bull Buffalo, Wildebeest, Waterbuck, Kudu, Man) that offered real or imagined provocation. In the Kruger Park, adult male Buffalo, Gnu and Waterbuck have been found dead from loss of blood after ratels attacked them in the scrotum.

Seriously. Hey Red Sox, you can do that back to them ya know. You know that right?

ps. All games are addictive yeah. But I think if you have an addictive personality to start with, that's the only real red flag. WoW can be all crazy at first, but then you settle down into a casual rhythm. At least I did. And I find it really fun :) I don't care if I'm not a pvp queen. I don't care if I'm not all epic'ed out. I just have fun with a few friends/guildmates and that's it.

I do tend to get addicted to various games. I even had a Gameboy for a while---probably the only 40 something year old mother of two teenagers who did. My kids thought it was hysterical. I also used to play Tetris til my eyes blurred, etc.